Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Greg Coleman and Tony Mango discuss how NXT UK will soon make way for NXT Europe, but just how successful will this new brand be, and what purpose will it serve in WWE's grand empire?
Question 1: Has the demise of NXT UK been a surprise to you? Overall, has the brand been a success?
ALLSOPP: It hasn't been a surprise to me, as I feel the inception of NXT UK came at a time when ITV Sport were rebranding World of Sport, therefore the entire brand seemed like a knee jerk reaction to that. However, the brand has put on some fantastic matches, leading to a number of promotions to NXT and the main roster. It served its purpose well, showcasing lesser known stars such as Xia Brookside and Dave Mastiff, but this feels like the right time to shut it down.
COLEMAN: Given how little WWE has done to promote and feature NXT UK compared to when NXT UK first started, I am not surprised at the demise of NXT UK. There were some classic matches in NXT UK if you actually had the bandwidth to watch on a regular basis. The problem for me was I didn’t always have the time, especially at the time the day show aired.
Overall, I would say NXT UK was a success based on the talent that it introduced to the greater WWE audience.
MANGO: It's sad to say I'm not surprised in the slightest. In fact, when NXT India and NXT Japan fell through at the start of the pandemic, I was calling for NXT UK to come to a close, too. The idea is sound and makes sense, but I think the creation of AEW and COVID-19 destroyed the expansion effort and ruined the whole concept. NXT going into other borders only works if there is a block in every corner of the world. Just keeping it to UK is superfluous. That, coupled with how few of the talent transitioned to NXT or the main roster, along with how little the views actually got (because virtually no one seems to watch this show) means I'd rule it mostly a failure, rather than a success, even though there were wins along the way.
Question 2: Should any European wrestler currently signed to WWE be used as the face of NXT Europe from the start?
COLEMAN: Yes, and I actually have two wrestlers who currently signed to WWE who should be the faces of NXT Europe: Finn Balor and Pete Dunne (not Butch!). Both of these men have the star power to make NXT Europe credible and you would have the two men who you can build around as a face and heel respectively.
MANGO: I'm unaware of anyone who wasn't in the WWE system who could be available to make a big splash in the European wrestling scene on their own as an alternative. It pretty much has to be someone within this current roster who gets a rocket strapped to them. Sheamus would be a great option, as he would bring legitimacy to the title, being a former multi-time world champion. Finn Balor would be another great option. Harry Smith, if they were to ever bring him back, could work, too.
ALLSOPP: Pete Dunne would be a fine option if WWE is prepared to loosen his appeal as Butch, but I feel the best option would be Sheamus. He has achieved everything there is to achieve in WWE, so becoming the catalyst for a new upstart brand in WWE seems like his last final hurrah before he retires and enters the Hall of Fame.
Question 3: Will NXT Europe be successful? What should the ultimate purpose of the brand be?
MANGO: Since we don't know how it will differ from NXT UK, its hard to tell. I would hope it would be more than just the same thing, but with more countries available to pick from. NXT UK already had people from New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere. If they try to make it on par with Raw, SmackDown and NXT out of the gate, I don't think it will go well. But if we get some new kind of territory system with less of a mountain to climb, it could work.
ALLSOPP: It all depends on the talent. Europe as a whole has some fantastic independent promotions with some incredible talent, whilst many talented Europeans litter the American independent promotions. And that is without mentioning NJPW, which often signs Gaijins to short term contracts. With Triple H in charge, it has every chance to succeed, but the visibility of the product needs to be better than a few YouTube videos on the official WWE YouTube channel. Ultimately, the brand needs to be a viable alternative to NXT, featuring the stiff and electric style that promotions such as WXW are known for.
COLEMAN: Whether NXT Europe will be successful remains to be seen. It will depend on the model and the talent it gets. The purpose of NXT Europe should be to introduce European wrestlers to the WWE/NXT audience and to increase WWE's presence in Europe. I also think NXT UK talent shouldn’t have to exclusively work for NXT UK. Imagine being able to get Will Ospreay or Zack Sabre, Jr for a Takeover match?!
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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